Apres Le Tournoi: Les Soeurs de Raven
by Alora Tal-Y-Rhys
Summary: The Summer is over and it's back to Hogwarts for the equivalent of J. L. Matthews' Part Six of Slytherin Rising. Two mysterious girls transfer into Hogwarts after getting expelled from Durmstrang... They say they needed to get to Hogwarts, but why?
1. Prologue A Calling

The Raven Sisters

Prologue

Renee sits bolt upright in her bed, and immediately wraps her coverlet around her against the chill draft of the Durmstrang fort. She rolls herself out of bed and stumbles her way across the dorm room to her twin sister's bed.

"Lenore," Renee whispers.  Lenore sits up, looking quickly around the dorm, and then moves to allow Renee to sit at the foot of her bed.

"I know, Ren." Lenore says as she draws the curtains closed around them.

"Silver eyes, caduceus, and 'enemies of the Heir, beware'." Renee summarizes, her voice low so as not to wake their dorm mates.

"Snakes. Don't forget the snakes, Ren." Lenore responds quietly.

"Yes. The snakes… But where?" Renee asks.

"Salem?" Lenore suggests.

"No, Lenny. Eastern Hemisphere at least." Renee replies.

"It felt near by." Lenore adds to their clues.

"Beaubatons?" Renee suggests.

"No. People from Beaubatons are too frilly to give us that strong an image." Lenore responds.

"But that leaves…" Renee trails off.

"Yep." 

"You know what that means, don't you Lenny?" Renee asks.

"Uh huh."

"What's Mom gonna say?"

"That's not what we need to worry about, Ren. It more of 'how bad is it that we need to get ourselves expelled to help out'?" Lenore corrects gloomily.

"Oh yeah. And how are we going to get accepted there? The Heads won't give us any good word and our good grades will be canceled out by our pranks." Renee agrees.

"No. Wait. The Heads will cancel our good grades, and the pranks we pull never put anyone in any real danger. Not even an allergic reaction to the spells." Lenore explains.

"True. We still have to get through Mom though, Lenny." Renee says with a weak smile. Lenore groans.

"Get back to bed. We have a few days to get everything arranged." Lenore says, and throws her covers over her head as Renee, still wrapped in her coverlet, mince steps across the very cold room.

_Authoress' Note and Disclaimer: Hullo! I only own Renee Talryssa and Lenore Ophelia Raven as of yet. Although they haven't appeared yet, J.L. Matthews (the Goddess of Slytherin Rising) owns all of the following players; Luella Martin, Caitlin Tyler, Deanna Tyler, Rianne Stormosi, Melissa Lovegood, Marlie Lovegood, and her versions of Ginny Weasley (the adorable lil Slyth that she is), Severus Snape, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and anything or one I might have missed. All the rest go to the Goddess of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. Thank you for reading and… You know what I'm gonna say… R! E! V! I! E! W! What's that spell? (Renee and Lenore chorus, "REVIEW!") Tah now!_


	2. Chapter One A Matter of Acceptance

The Raven Sisters

Chapter One

A Matter of Acceptance

An owl flies through a window to land on a table, at which the Headmaster and Heads of Houses of Hogwarts were having a meeting to discuss how to handle any problems that might be caused by events at the end of the previous term. The owl hop-steps to Dumbledore and insists on being tended to immediately.

While Dumbledore looks over the envelope, Sinistra turns to McGonagall and says, "Well, I heard that two students up at Durmstrang have driven their house master to St. Mungo's."

"Goodness gracious!" McGonagall gasps. "This early in their term?"

"Not even your Weasley twins could match that, Minerva." Sinistra teases with a grin.

"Did they get away with it?" Snape drawled.

To which, Sinistra answers, "I'm not sure. I didn't hear anything else."

At that moment, Dumbledore looks up from the letter and says, "They were expelled from Durmstrang. Apparently, they're amazingly talented, just a little high spirited."

"Well, I wonder what's going to happen to them now." Sprout muses lightly.

"Apparently, they wish to come here." Dumbledore replies. His answer fell into dead silence as jaws dropped to the floor. It took fifteen seconds of quiet for the responses to get unstuck from their throats.

"Oh no!"

"Impossible!"

"That can't be!"

"Goodness gracious!"

"Oh dear… Whose House would they be sorted to?" Sprout asks weakly, looking at the other Heads of House with a panicky quizzical look. Her question was met with dawning awareness of impending doom.

Dumbledore breaks the silence, addressing the Heads. "I'll be meeting with their mother in Hogsmeade tomorrow. In the meantime, I shall consult with the school governors, and check the rules for Seventh years coming from another school."

~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~^~*~

As Dumbledore sits, braced for the coming meeting, at a comfortable table with only two chairs so to prevent any unnecessary visitors, in the Three Broomsticks, in swirls a mysterious looking woman in her late thirties wearing jewel-tone purple robes. The woman had jet-black hair and dark gray eyes that looked as if they could steal souls if stared at long enough.

"Ah, Lady Raven, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Professor Dumbledore asks, gesturing the mysterious woman to the other seat at the table.

"_You_ owe it to my daughters." Lady Raven says, sighing, as she takes the offered seat. "I hope you don't mind meeting on such short notice."

"I don't mind at all, Iris. What have Renee and Lenore been up to at Durmstrang." Dumbledore asks, placing his crossword to one side.

"Well, they managed to drive their house master to St. Mungo's and get expelled three days into the school year, pending formalities." Iris replies, rolling her eyes.

"And?" Dumbledore prompts politely.

"And… I wanted to ask if they could possibly get into Hogwarts." Iris finishes in a rush, biting the inside of her cheek.

"That would depend, really, upon whether they'd gotten an acceptance letter when they were eleven." Dumbledore answers, sounding very matter of fact.

"Want to see something almost frightening?" Iris asks, lowering her voice and leaning forward against the table.

Iris didn't wait for the Hogwarts Headmaster to answer before standing and drawing, from her pocket, a packet of envelopes.

"Kamikaumikun." Iris says, and two letters, sealed with crossed bamboo sticks and a eucalyptus leaf above the sticks, were at Dumbledore's hands.

"El Dorado." Iris adds two more letters to the pile. These were sealed with an Aztec pyramid.

"Beaubatons." Two envelopes with crossed wands and two stars in golden wax join the horde.

"Durmstrang." Three mountain peaks seal the next two to be tossed into the stack.

Iris pauses, holding the last two fanned out so the identical seals were plainly visible.

"Hogwarts." She says, tossing them atop the pile as she sits down again.

"I was so overwhelmed. All five major wizarding schools sent letters for my girls when the rest of Clan Raven could only hope to be acceptable to Salem Institute."

"How _did_ you choose?" Dumbledore asks bemusedly as he looks over the envelopes before him.

"I didn't choose." Iris answers. Dumbledore chose that moment to hold up the two Durmstrang letters, both with a hole through them.

"They threw darts over their shoulders." Iris informs the curious Headmaster, sighing again.

Dumbledore holds up the two Hogwarts letters as well, again with a hole each.

"They did it again. Or, at least, that's what they say they did." Iris adds with a grimace crossed with a sheepish grin.

"An amusing way to select a school," Dumbledore muses. 

"It was Lenore's idea." Iris says. "It almost makes me glad Renee is firstborn." Iris adds with a rueful smile.

"Well, what I can do, Iris, is run this by the school governors." Dumbledore says. "Do you mind if I –"

"Not at all. Renee has copied the supply list apparently." Iris replies, cutting him off.

"Then I see no reason why your girls can't get into Hogwarts," Dumbledore says, pocketing the letters, "unless the reason for their expulsion is over endangering the students?"

"Oh no!" Iris denies vehemently. "The Heads at Durmstrang were just sick of their pranks and their most recent trick sent their house master over the edge."

"However," Dumbledore says, waving a hand at the remaining envelopes, "these present a mystery. I'd assumed that the schools had sorted this kind of problem out."

"I hear you on that score. What happened? It was only my girls, I'll tell you that right now. I've asked around in the American Ministry." Iris replies, propping her elbows on the table.

"Indeed. Very interesting, I must say." Dumbledore responds as Iris looks at her watch.

"Oh good graces! I'm afraid I must take my leave. I'm late for a meeting." Iris exclaims, snatching up the letters from Beaubatons, El Dorado, and Kamikaumikun. "You'll write me what the decision is?" She asks, hurriedly.

"Of course, Iris." Dumbledore answers with a benign smile.

"Thank you so much, Professor. Clan Raven is in your debt." Iris says and rushes out of the pub, tossing a few coins and a word to Rosmerta. 

Rosmerta quickly got something from under the bar and brought a glass of something over to Dumbledore's table. Dumbledore blinks in surprise and delight as he realizes that Iris had bought him his favorite drink.

Dumbledore, sipping lightly on the beverage, elects to savor every moment of the last respite he would be able to get for the next year.

_Authoress' Note and Disclaimer: Hullo! I only own Renee Talryssa and Lenore Ophelia Raven and Lady Iris Raven. Although they haven't appeared yet, J.L. Matthews (the Goddess of Slytherin Rising) owns all of the following players; Luella Martin, Caitlin Tyler, Deanna Tyler, Rianne Stormosi, Melissa Lovegood, Marlie Lovegood, and her versions of Ginny Weasley (the adorable lil Slyth that she is), Severus Snape, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and anything or one I might have missed. All the rest go to the Goddess of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. Thank you for reading and… You know what I'm gonna say… R! E! V! I! E! W! What's that spell? (Renee and Lenore chorus, "REVIEW!") Tah now!_


	3. Chapter Two A Sort of Transfer

The Raven Sisters

Chapter Two

A Sort of Transfer

The students once again return to the "supposedly" hallowed halls of Hogwarts and patiently await the Sorting while others impatiently wait for the food.

Those waiting for the Sorting had not long to wait before Professor McGonagall leads out the line of First years. However, there were two raven-haired girls towards the end of the line that were much taller than any of the First years. The First years nearest seem to shy away from the two tall, dark-eyed girls, and were amazingly quiet compared to the rest of the muttering line.

"Are you sure you followed the right person from the station?" one of the first years asks the girls.

"Yes, we did." The first girl answers shortly.

"We're transfers. From Durmstrang." The other girl adds in helpfully.

"Didn't think you could transfer." Another First year, behind the girls in line, mutters just loudly enough for the identical transfers to hear.

"It helps if you were expelled first." The first girl says with an almost evil smirk. The First years lean further away from the two.

Professor McGonagall begins calling names from the list.  As the line dwindles she finally calls, "Raven, Lenore!"  

"Catch you on the flip side." Lenore says with a smile as she steps forward. The hall's atmosphere was thick in palpable curiosity as the seventeen-year-old girl places the Sorting Hat on her head.

Shortly, the Hat cries, "SLYTHERIN!"

Fred and George were heard groaning.  "Maybe they'll be separated. Lots of twins get separated at the Sorting." George says hopefully.  The twin girls' reputations as tricksters were well known and it was better to have the girls where they could keep an eye on them. 

"Not happening, old boy. They're too much alike." Fred answers sadly.

Their hopes that the girls would at least be separated were dashed when the hat on Renee's head suddenly shouts  "SLYTHERIN!"  Fred nods to George, his point confirmed.

"Ever considered dating another set of twins?" George muses as Renee sits next to her twin amid questioning stares.

"Nope… Could get interesting." Fred replies frankly.

"It'll be even more interesting if Marlie ever finds out so let's just wipe that idea from our heads for now, shall we ol' chap?" George suggests.

Over at the Slytherin table, the Sorting now over, Renee and Lenore solidly ignore the questioning gazes and give short answers to the queries directed at them as they enjoyed the feast.

"My name's Marlene Lovegood."

Renee and Lenore turn to face the girl across the table. Renee squeezes Lenore's hand quickly before smiling.

"Renee Raven. This is my twin, Lenore." Renee says amiably.

"Where'd you two come from?" asks the girl next to Marlie. 

"Durmstrang." Lenore answers, smiling warily at the dark haired girl. "And you are?"

"Deanna Tyler." She replies.

The blue-eyed girl on the other side of Deanna elbows Deanna then says, with a smile, "Don't mind her. My name is Luella Martin." Renee squeezes Lenore's hand again.

"I'm Rianne Stormosi. We're all Seventh years." A red-haired girl next to Lenore speaks up.

"What year are you in?" Marlie asks.

"Same as you apparently." Renee answers.

"What's Durmstrang like?" Rianne asks.

"Cold. Very cold." Lenore answers.

"You know of Siberia? Artic Circle? Colder." Renee adds with quiver.

"It's set right in a dead zone so absolutely nothing electronic works." Lenore complains.

The Slyth Four look at each other. They couldn't wait until the new girls got to the Common Room.

"And since it's in the middle of a crater, you can't set foot outside without a swimsuit. And that's only if you like 'Polar Bear'ing it." Renee throws in.

"I hear you tore it up there. Drove a teacher insane, the paper said." Deanna says, none too friendly.

"You're the girls from the Prophet!" Rianne exclaims.

"You're right, Rianne, Deanna, on both counts. We did play tricks and our house master did go insane." Renee replies, shrugging it off as though it were nothing.

"You forgot expelled, Ren." Lenore amends.

"Oh yes, expelled too but that was on purpose, Lenny." Renee waves away the additional fact with a dismissive sweep on her hand.

"Then you shouldn't have put in the pranks because those were on purpose too!" Lenore argues, oblivious to the stares of the Slyth Four.

"For a different _reason_, Lenny. Drop it." Renee replies, gritting her teeth.

"You were expelled?" Luella manages to say after a few moments.

"Yep. Heads at Durmstrang got sick of us and Dumbledore offered to take us in." Renee says, stretching the truth within reasonable proportions.

"You _purposely_ got yourselves expelled?" Marlie asks, disbelieving.

"We had to." Lenore answers, ignoring her sister's stern glare. "We were called here." Lenore adds, staring at Marlie, or to be more precise, Marlie's necklace. Lenore squeezes Renee's hand with a meaningful glance back at the necklace. Renee's glare softened slightly.

Before anyone could come up with further comments to say, attention is diverted to Dumbledore, standing at the head table, waiting a moment before launching into the usual Start-of-Term announcements, which included a reintroduction to Professor Lupin.

"I would also like to welcome Miss Renee and Miss Lenore Raven from Durmstrang. They felt it necessary to take me up upon my offer of last year and have transferred into the Seventh year."

There were a few strained laughs and very scattered clapping at this and glances again at the Raven sisters. As neither had the grace to blush, they sat straighter and soaked in all the attention.

The students then left the Great Hall for their respective Common Rooms. Renee and Lenore trail behind the Slytherin group. When they enter the Serpent's Nest, the Ravens halt entirely, staring with undisguised glee at the Slytherin sound system.

"We need to write to Mom and get her to send us our tape and CD collection." Renee says, not taking her eyes of the stereo. Lenore nods.

Over in a corner, the Slyth Four watch the Raven sisters snap out of their stereo-induced trance and head to their dorm.

"They seem nice enough." Rianne says thoughtfully.

"Things aren't always as they seem." Deanna cautions. "Marls?"

"Not a thing." Marlie answers. "If anything, it seemed happy they were here."

"That's weird." Luella responds.

"I don't trust them." Deanna says flatly.

"What?" Marlie responds.

"I said 'I don't trust them'. Don't you think it's just a_ teensy_ bit too much of a coincidence that Ole Voldie comes back and then _they_ 'transfer' in from _Durmstrang_, a school _known_ to teach the Dark Arts, after getting _expelled_, purposely at their own admission I might add." Deanna explains.

"My necklace didn't give a negative reaction and they said they were called here. There has to be a good reason behind that." Marlie argues. "Besides they were nice to us."

"And you actually believed that? They're about as bad as Trelawney when it comes to good reasons." Deanna scoffs.

"I say we give them a chance. If they were in any way related to His cause, they wouldn't've even bothered with befriending us." Rianne reasons. Luella nods in agreement.

"Fine. But I won't pretend I like it." Deanna grumbles.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm about burnt out for the night." Luella says with a yawn. "I'm going to bed."

"Me t – Wait a minute! There was only room for four beds in our dorm last year!" Marlie exclaims for no reason apparent to the rest of the group.

"Yeah? So?" Luella asks, turning back around.

"So how are we going to deal with two more girls in our dorm? They are Seventh years too." Marlie returns smartly. "This is not going to be fun." She adds, downcast.

"We have to let them in on the musical locks?" Deanna asks. "I think not."

"Deanna." Luella says sternly. "They _are_ in our dorm. Would you like it if we locked the door in _your_ face?"

"Oh fine. We'll tell them about the musical locks." Deanna grouses as the girls made their way to their seemingly larger dorm room.

_Authoress' Note and Disclaimer: Hullo! I only own Renee Talryssa and Lenore Ophelia Raven and Lady Iris Raven. Although they haven't appeared yet, J.L. Matthews (the Goddess of Slytherin Rising) owns all of the following players; Luella Martin, Caitlin Tyler, Deanna Tyler, Rianne Stormosi, Melissa Lovegood, Marlie Lovegood, and her versions of Ginny Weasley (the adorable lil Slyth that she is), Severus Snape, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and anything or one I might have missed. All the rest go to the Goddess of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. Thank you for reading and… You know what I'm gonna say… R! E! V! I! E! W! What's that spell? (Renee and Lenore chorus, "REVIEW!") Tah now!_


End file.
